BACKPEDALED Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

backpedaled

verb

past tense of backpedal

as in backtracked

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for backpedaled

Verb

Seconds later, Flore backtracked, called the foul on the floor, then backtracked his backtrack and reverted to his initial call.

— CJ Moore, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026

Definition of backtracked

Verb

Sign Up for Our Free Daily Newsletter A controversial 2024 study that some vaccine skeptics used to argue that millions of people likely died as a result of COVID vaccines has been retracted over misinformation and issues with the research.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
Rumors swirled about Alito’s retirement plans after NPR published and then retracted an article by reporter Nina Totenberg that Alito would be retiring from his role on the bench at the end of the court’s 2025-26 term.

— Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of retracted

Verb

The witnesses previously recanted, and Wednesday, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott offered an apology.

— Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
In addition, investigators working for Duncan’s legal team interviewed a jailhouse informant who recanted his earlier trial testimony that Duncan had confessed to the crime.

— Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 29 June 2026

Definition of recanted

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“Backpedaled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backpedaled. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of backpedaled

verb

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